Everything about Peninsular Malaysia totally explained
Malaya or
Peninsular Malaysia or
West Malaysia (
Malay:
Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of
Malaysia which lies on the
Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with
Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of
Singapore. Its area is 50,810 square miles (131,598 square kilometers). It accounts for the majority of Malaysia's population and economy. Across the
Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of
Sumatra.
East Malaysia (on the island of
Borneo) is to the east across the
South China Sea.
States and territories
It consists of the following 11
states and two federal territories (starting from the North going to the South):
Origin of name
The name 'Malaya' is derived from the name of a river of a similar name found in Sumatra. It is now widely believed by the Malay world that such origins are the sole truth for the basis of the name.
Peninsular Malaysia is also known as
West Malaysia (
Malaysia Barat) or
Malaya (
Tanah Melayu). The term Peninsular Malaysia is used more often than West Malaysia (to avoid the idea that West and East Malaysia are separate
countries like
West Germany and
East Germany used to be until
1990), or Malaya (which is now becoming
obsolete due to its connotations of the
British colonial era).
Nonetheless, all three terms are correct, and the older term Malaya can still be found in many institutional titles, for example the
High Court of Malaya, the
University of Malaya,
Malayan Railway, etc., as well as in legal contexts in the phrase the
States of Malaya (
Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu), which shouldn't be confused with the
Malay states. Note that until
1946, the term Malaya usually included
Singapore.
Malaya is also a term or word in the Philippine national language, Tagalog (pronunciation: [tɐˈgaːlog]). In the Tagalog language the word malaya means free or freedom.
Historical names
The noun "
Malaya" has also been used to refer to
British Malaya as well as the
Federation of Malaya. The Malay equivalent could refer either to both entities or as
Tanah Melayu.
Other features
The distinction between West and East Malaysia is significant beyond the sphere of
geography, because as well as having a different court structure, the eastern states have more
autonomy than the original States of Malaya, for example, maintaining restrictions on
immigration from the
peninsula.
Other usage
Malaya is also the name of the
National Forest or sacred garden, comparable to the
Garden of Eden, in the
Shambhala tradition.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Peninsular Malaysia'.
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